She clutched the saddle horn. Why had she ever agreed tothis?
"What does AC stand for?" Her voice sounded high and far away, as if she were having an out-of-bodyexperience.
The cowboy grinned at her right knee. "I don't think you want toknow."
She swallowed hard. "Tellme."
"Same thing AC stands for at yourhouse."
AirConditioner.
"Because he likes to be pampered?" shemurmured.
"Nope." Another one of those grins. They were lethal in theirpotency.
He held up the two thin leather strips, offering them toher.
She couldn't pry her hands off the saddle horn, and he seemed to realize she was at the end of her abilities. He touched her knee even as he wheeled the horse away from the corralrailing.
She left behind her balance and weaved left before it caught upagain.
They were just plodding along. It could barely be called awalk.
He squeezed her knee, one point of comfort. "So you worked in the ER,doc?"
She breathed in noisily. "Four years, not including myresidency."
"Did you likeit?"
She took her eyes off AC's ears to look at the horizon as her memories helped with the answer. "Yes. There were quiet times, but mostly it kept me on mytoes."
"Lots of different kinds ofcases?"
"Yes." The sun was dipping behind the horizon, casting the sky with layers or orange, red, andpink.
"Bet it was a lot different than practicing in TaylorHills."
"In some ways. There are a lot of good things about practicing here. And it wasnecessary."
The sudden lump in her throat surprised her, and she cut her gaze to the cowboy, who was gazing up at her. His Stetson shadowed his eyes, and she couldn't get a good read onhim.
Once again, he was putting that careful distance between them. He'd been doing it since they'd met. She still didn't know why. It didn't diminish her attraction, only added an air ofmystery.
"You did good,Doc."
And she realized they'd turned a complete circle in the corral and were approaching the kids, waiting by their borrowedhorses.
"Who'snext?"
"You can call me Megan,youknow."
Dan looked over his shoulder. The kids were on the outside of the corral, saying goodbye to their new best friends. Fast friends after only ninetyminutes.
Dusk wasfalling.
He was hauling the last of the three saddles, plus bridle and blanket, back to the barn. He'd kind of hoped the doctor wouldn't feel as if she had to say goodbye and if he delayed long enough, she'd be gone when he exited thebarn.
But she was following him. Jogging to eat up the distance betweenthem.
